Nature
August Arrives With Some Heat, Clouds And Critters At Community Park.
August arrived with a mid-summer heat wave here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Temperatures soared into the 90’s. The humidity levels made it feel tropical. I love the heat and I continued my afternoon hikes at the local Community Park near my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County . And I continued my usual routine of walking…
Read MoreA Visit To The Hopewell Big Woods And The Quaint And Historic St. Peters Village
Last Thursday afternoon I had a doctors visit scheduled at the Rothman Clinic in Limerick, Montgomery County for some shoulder issues I am having. While showering in the morning, I decided to cancel my Friday appointments at my office and stay in southeastern Pennsylvania after my doctor’s visit. I am glad I did. So, after…
Read MoreA Morning Hike At Hopewell Lake In French Creek State Park
I awoke early on Friday during my stay at the historic Inn at St. Peters Village in Chester County. And, after a cup of coffee, I decided to hike around Hopewell Lake in nearby French Creek State Park. After a 10 minute drive through beautiful farm country I arrived at the lake shortly after sunrise. …
Read MoreA Cool But Pleasant Mid- August Hike in The Susquehanna Wetlands
A cold front arrived in Northeastern Pennsylvania last weekend and it was a cool 57 degrees when I returned to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County early Sunday. morning. It was mostly sunny with a few wispy cirrus clouds in the blue sky. As usual I walked down to Susquehanna River. It was even lower…
Read MoreA Visit To The Daniel Boone Homestead And A Walk Along French Creek.
After my late breakfast at the Sunset Diner in Birdsboro, Berks County, I continued my exploration of the historic area by visiting the nearby Daniel Boone Homestead. As I child I watched the popular television show about Daniel Boone. I remember reading an article about his homestead in the Reading Eagle when I was in…
Read MoreExploring Early American Industrial History At The Hopewell Furnace In Berks County
I was hiking on the Lake Loop Trail around Hopewell Lake in the French Creek State Park last Friday morning when I left the trail and ventured into the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. It is only a short distance from the lake. I had been here once before. I loved hiking through this scenic…
Read MoreA Hummingbird, A Monarch Butterfly And Lot More Critters At The Susquehanna Wetlands.
The heat was returned to Northeastern Pennsylvania this weekend. After a few chilly mornings temperatures were back in the mid 60’s Saturday morning. As usual, I decided to hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands and River Lands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. I have come to know, and love, almost every inch of the trails in…
Read MoreNot Much Wildlife But A Lot Of Wildflowers On A Hike At The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails
I had a lot of chores to do, and there was an Eagles preseason game on at 1 p.m., so I decided to hike early and close to home last Sunday. It was overcast and a mild 67 degrees when I arrived at the Hazle Brook Road entrance to the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails. …
Read MoreWildflowers, Herons And A Cool Spider: Another Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands And River Lands
It was Saturday, and, it is almost a ritual now, I decided to hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands and River Lands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. It has been ten years since I first hiked in this private nature preserve. The woodlands near my home in Hazle Township, where I hiked since I was a…
Read MoreStill No Bears In The State Game Lands 119 In Luzerne County
I decided to hike in State Game Lands 119 in Dennison Township Luzerne County again on Sunday. This is the first Summer in ten years I haven’t seen a bear on my hikes in theses game lands. I don’t usually hike here this late in the Summer. I am usually looking for mushrooms in other…
Read MoreMy First Hike In Tobyhanna State Park In Monroe County And No Bears Here Either
Well I didn’t hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands this past Saturday. I changed my usual routine. Instead, I hiked in Tobyhanna State Park. Located in Monroe County it is about 55 miles from my home in Luzerne County. It was my first hike in this park. My pursuit of the elusive black bears brought me there. …
Read MoreAn Early September Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
September is usually the peak of mushroom season here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I would be out foraging for my favorite edible mushrooms most September weekends. Not this year. We had little rain this Summer and there have been hardly any of my favorite wild mushrooms growing in our woodlands. So I decided to once again…
Read MoreWildlife And Wildflowers: Late Summer Hikes In Community Park
It’s hard to believe Summer is almost over. The month of August went so fast. It was a busy month for me but I still managed to get in a few afternoon hikes in the Community Park near my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. I just hadn’t had time to share some of the…
Read MoreNo Mushrooms But A Pleasant September Morning Hike Around Leaser Lake in Lehigh County.
It was a beautiful September morning last Saturday in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. And September is the peak of wild mushroom season here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As many of you who follow my blog know, I love foraging for wild edible mushrooms. I have been doing so since I was a young child. Many of…
Read MoreLondon Day Three. A Morning Walk Exploring Historic Oxford
I first learned of Oxford University from reading the biography of J. R.R. Tolkien. I read it on the back cover of the Hobbit, my first introduction to Middle Earth, when I was , I believe, in the 11th grade in high school. (I love, and I am still inspired by his writings including the…
Read MoreBirds And Otters: An Autumn Walk in The Susquehanna Wetlands
Autumn, cooler weather and shorter days, have returned to Northeastern Pennsylvania. I have spent the last month traveling ( I was in London’s for the Queen’s funeral. I am still trying to finish my blog posts) and searching for wild mushrooms. ( they were late but I found a lot of mushrooms this past two …
Read MoreFall Foliage And Migrating Birds At The Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails.
Last Spring I observed many species of migrating birds on the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails near my home in Luzerne County. On Sunday morning I decided to hike on the trail starting at the parking lot on the eastern trailhead near the patch town of Hazle Brook. I was hoping to see at least…
Read MoreExploring Vosburg Neck, Soon To Be One Of Our Three New State Parks.
I had never heard of Vosburg Neck until a few weeks ago. I now know Vosburg Neck is one of the three new Pennsylvania State Parks to be established in the next few years. The future park is located in Wyoming County, near Tunkhannock, about 68 miles north west of my home in Luzerne County.…
Read MoreOctober Ends With Blue Skies, Sunshine And Fallen Leaves At The Susquehanna Wetlands
We had our first heavy frost here in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Saturday, the last Saturday of October. Although it was cold , the clear blue skies and sunshine made for a perfect day for hiking outdoors. So, as I often do, I decided to hike at the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County. The temperature was …
Read MoreLondon Day Four: A Morning Walk From Westminster To The Victoria Coach Station
Although I didn’t sleep well, again, I was still excited when I awoke early Sunday morning in London. I had booked a visit to Stonehenge. A visit to the ancient site has been on my “bucket list’ for most of my life. There were not many times available. There were a lot of tourist in…
Read MoreLondon Day Four: A Short But Awe Inspiring Visit To World Famous Stonehenge
I am sure everyone recognizes the featured image photo of this blog post. It is Stonehenge. Most folks have seen it. These stone pillars are one of the most recognizable structures on our planet. I am not sure when I first saw or learned about Stonehenge. It wasn’t in my early years in elementary school,…
Read MoreAutumnlike Cloud and Leafless Trees But Unseasonably Mild Mid-November Temperatures At The Susquehanna Wetlands.
It’s mid-November, and here in Northeastern Pennsylvania we have had freezing temperatures and snow on ground in many years . Not this year. It has been a mild month. It was cloudy and an unseasonably 60 degrees when I awoke at my home in Hazle Township in Luzerne County early Saturday. As I often do, …
Read MoreMy First Hike In The New Penrose Swamp Barrens State Forest
It has been about ten years since I first hiked in the area known as the Penrose Swamp Barrens. Located primarily in Carbon County in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I would hike to the Penrose Reservoir either by following the active railroad tracks up form the town of Weatherly in Carbon County or following the tracks down…
Read MoreA Heavy Frost And The First Ice In The Susquehanna Wetlands.
As usual I decided to hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands in Luzerne County on Saturday. Last week it was unseasonably mild. Not this week. Temperatures fell into the low 20’s overnight. A weak November sun shone on the clear blue skies when I arrived at the wetlands and walked to thew banks of the Susquehanna…
Read MoreA Cold And Windy Hike In The Butler Preserve And The Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails
The coldest weather of the season arrived last weekend here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Temperatures dropped into the upper teens accompanied by a strong westerly wind. It was blustery and cold. I decided to hike close to home and explore the Butler Preserve adjacent to the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails in southern Luzerne County. I…
Read MoreA Pleasant Late November Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands: And Me Thinks I Am Becoming A Birder
The Mirriam-Webster dictionary defines a birder as ” a person who observes or identifies wild birds in their habitats”. I guess this could include a lot of my friends and folks I know. Everyone likes to see and hear the birds in their back yard. However, I always thought of birder as one of the folks…
Read MoreHemlocks, Pitch Pines And Beavers: Another Hike In The Penrose Swamp Barrens
Instead of my usual weekend visit to the Susquehanna Wetlands I decided to return and explore the Penrose Swamp Barrens in Carbon County on Sunday. This 2700 acre wetland and forest is now a part of the Weiser State Forest. It was a sunny and a seasonably cold December morning with temperatures in the mid…
Read MoreBald Eagles, A Pileated Woodpecker, And Brilliant December Sunshine At The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was Saturday, and, although there are dozens of places to visit and trails to hike here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I decided to return to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. I love this small, private park and nature preserve located along the Susquehanna River. In addition to the beautiful scenery I usually…
Read MoreIt’s Looking A Lot Like Christmas On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails
It is less than two weeks until Christmas. And as much as I dislike the cold white stuff we call snow, it does get one into the Christmas spirit. It does for me anyways. I loved snow in my younger years. I looked forward to it every Winter. I walked many miles in hip deep…
Read MoreElevation: What A Difference It Made On Saturday At The Susquehanna Wetlands
The effect elevation has on our weather was made very clear to me on Saturday. I awoke to find my back yard covered with about three inches of snow and ice. I took my usual 2 mile walk through my neighborhood in Hazle Township Luzerne County. The roads and sidewalks were covered in ice and…
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